Just One Glance
by Annie-Louise
Summary: Don Flack gets himself involved in one of the most unconventional families he has ever seen, finding love and problems. Sometimes, going through the problems with that special someone only makes a relationship stronger. A family/romance/drama. DonOC.
1. Getting Hooked

**This story ignores that Jessica Angell was ever involved in CSI:NY. I am personally a fan of the F/A relationship, but I don't want to fit it into this story. Because that means making Don Flack depressed for certain points. I don't like a depressed Don. I will only say this once, I don't own anything that is from the show, but I can officially say that I own Kelsey O'Neill, Brandon O'Neill, Connor O'Neill, Natasha Fuller and any other characters you don't recognize. - Please don't forget to review once you have read!  
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Just One Glance

Chapter One - Getting Hooked

By Annie-Louise

All it took was one single glance and he knew he had been hooked.

She was an attractive girl to say the least, one of short height and slender form, but it was her face that seemed to fascinate him the most, with its delicately molded features, unfathomable emerald eyes, and lips that showed her idealistic, high-strung temperament. The auburn haired beauty had unknowingly captured his attention in such a way that no matter how long he stared he found himself always wanting more.

Yes, Don Flack had been hooked.

Under the blue neon glow of the clubbing spotlights, Don subtly kept his eyes on the attractive woman who was busy serving a variety of alcoholic beverages, all of them obviously some strange concoction of spirits and fruit juices. However, Don was more than happy to stick with his usual order of Guinness, the Irish brew that his father had first introduced him to in his late teens. His father, though a respectable member of the force, allowed his eldest son illegally to have an alcoholic drink from time to time - of course, Don Sr. would only personally allow it on special occasions.

Standing from the supple, red leather upholstered chair, Don took a final mouthful of what was left in his glass and made his way through the gathering crowds towards the bar. Leaning on the smoothly polished counter with his empty glass to hand and a cheeky grin gracing his lips, he soon caught the eye of the redhead.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the auburn beauty that came to serve him, but a lanky bloke who had raven black hair and an assortment of colorful tattoos adorning his arms, neck and what little you could see of his chest. However, he didn't look completely menacing. He smiled happily as if the last conversation he had come from was still amusing him to some degree. "Can I help you, mate?"

Don was quite surprised to hear a faint twinge of an Irish accent to the tattoo man's tone.

"Yeah, I'll just have another Guinness, thanks."

Nodding, the tattoo man headed towards the other end of the bar to fill the pint glass with fresh Guinness while Don allowed his eyes to wander back to the girl, examining her form with an appreciative gaze. After several moments, the new glass of fine ale was placed next to him and two hands where slammed down on either side of it. "I'd appreciate you not eyeing my sister like that, _mate_."

"I'd appreciate my big bro not starting arguments with customers." The soft retort came from the redhead, who had obviously predicted her brother's move. She smiled softly and placed a hand on the tattoo man's shoulder while looking to Don. "Brandon here allows himself to eye up and flirt with any female that's within a five foot radius of him but likes to contradict himself when its switched around."

The tattooed barkeep let out a short grunt of frustration before rudely requesting the money for the drink and strolling away to see to another customer who was sat only a few bar stools away. Don eyed him warily for a moment, but quickly put on a smile and turned to the woman who had been fascinating him all night.

"Seeing as how my brother was so rude your next round can be on the house." She said kindly, a similar twinge of the Irish accent evident in her voice too. "Call it an apology from him seeing as I know he won't actually apologize to you." Don shook his head and grabbed the pint glass of the counter.

"There's nothing to apologize for, love. Don't worry about it."

"Still, when you finish that, find me and I'll give you one on the house. Don't try to argue with me about it, because you will certainly lose."

Don chuckled lightly and smirked. "So, do I get a name then? I can't exactly ask for the 'gorgeous redhead', can I?"

Don could swear he saw the smallest blush creep over her pale cheeks before she politely replied, "I'm Kelsey." Don stuck out his hand and she shuck in gently, her touch almost feather light as her finger expertly curved around his palm, leaving a tingling sensation over his skin.

"I'm Don Flack."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Don Flack." She replied with a cheeky smirk. Grabbing a damp cloth from under the bar, she began to feebly wipe the already highly polished counter top in a lame attempt to make it look as if she was working. "I don't think I have ever seen you in here before…." Trailing off, Kelsey raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"I'm meeting some people here." Don replied confidently. "It was their suggestion to come here instead. Usually we just go to Sullivans that's a few blocks from the precinct."

"Oh, so you're a cop then?"

"Actually, I'm a Detective," Don said smugly, unaware of how his posture had suddenly straightened and how he held himself with a little more pride. He suddenly realized her pensive expression and quickly added, "Don't worry. There's not gonna be a raid just 'cause I'm here."

She physically relaxed and grinned broadly at the detective, "Yeah, well there's nothing we have to hide anyway."

"Yeah?" Don asked with amusement to his tone. "Well that's good to know."

She laughed musically, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Don was amazed by how much the dazzling smile drew him in. Something about that playful grin was just so alluring. "Now, I had really better get back to work before _he _begins breathing down my neck." She nodded towards her brother who seemed to be loathing with anger at the flirtatious exchange. Kelsey, most likely to annoy her brother further, winked teasingly at Don and seductively drawled out, "Come find me when you want that drink, 'kay? And don't take anything _he_ says seriously. He's just being overprotective."

Don nodded, letting a cheeky grin curve onto his lips as she seductively sauntered away to serve one of the many waiting punters at the other end of the bar. Not only was she gorgeous, but as far as Don could tell she also had a good sense of humor and a kind nature.

Don couldn't wait until he finished his drink.

Spotting his friends who had just arrived, Don stood from the bar stool which was upholstered in the same red leather as most of the soft furnishings and made his way over to them. Danny and Lindsay Messer stood side by side, their hands tightly clasped in the middle, Adam Ross slightly behind them while eyeing up one particularly underdressed individual who smirked seductively at the lab tech.

Grabbing the fresh pint of Guinness from the polished black counter, Don ploughed his way through the crowd until he got to the newly arrived trio. They all smiled when they finally saw him emerging from the swarm of youths that were currently occupying the club. It did seem a strange place for Adam Ross to pick as their place to relax after work. "Hey!"

"Hey man!" Danny yelled over the loud music, his thick New York accent prominent in his voice. "You not got a table yet?" That made Don chuckle. You could always tell when you where getting older when you begin walking into nightclubs and instead of looking for the hottest women, you look for a place to sit.

Danny headed off to the bar to retrieve the drinks for his wife and the lab tech, while Don, Lindsay and Adam found a table at the edge of the large room.

Settling down in his seat, Don couldn't help the instinctive urge to look over his shoulder, trying to spot Kelsey among the crowd. It was awkward, but he managed. As he had seen her before she was serving the punters and speaking to them in a friendly manner, often laughing that oh so musical laugh. Mentally, he cursed himself for not picking one of the seats that faced the bar.

His fascination with the girl was surely beginning to evolve into an obsession.

"Are you okay, Don?" The question had come from Lindsay. She was ever so good at noticing the little things, though Don was sure his constant looks towards the bar were anything but subtle. He just couldn't help it, the redhead was just so enticing. He couldn't understand it.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He lied.

As harsh as it may of sounded, he wished to be stood at the bar talking to Kelsey. He wanted to get to know her. He wanted to make sure this wasn't going to be the last time he saw her.

Lindsay nodded a little skeptically but didn't ask any questions of why his behavior was so strange.

Placing a glass orange juice and two dark bottles of Budweiser down on the black polished table, Danny sat next to his wife and stretched his arm out to drape casually round her shoulders. "So, why are we here? Are you suddenly too good for Sullivans now, Ross?"

"Nah" Adam smirked "I just like this place."

"He likes that blonde who hasn't stopped staring since we got here." Lindsay giggled, "What was her name? Ellen?"

"…Ellie" The lab tech seemed to trail of in a thoughtful dream as he spoke.

Lindsay leaned in slightly and in a hushed tone she asked, "Have you spoken to her yet?" Adam shook his head. It was quite obvious that he had yet to introduce himself to the attractive blonde. It was also obvious that the said woman had a certain amount of interest in the Lab geek. Confidence seemed to be the only problem.

Danny snorted and picked up his own bottle of Budweiser, reclining back in his seat even further as he let the stress of the day melt away. "So that's why we're here? So Ross can check out the girl he's to scared to actually talk to? Man, we could just get a picture and let him stare at that while we relax in a quiet bar."

"Leave him alone," Lindsay chastised, slapping her husband lightly on the chest. "He'll speak to her when he's ready. Sometimes playing it safe is better than marching in their and making a fool of yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Danny questioned, raising an accusing eyebrow at the hidden meaning behind the statement. "Are you saying I make a fool of myself?"

"Sometimes…yes." Lindsay replied, trying –and failing- to suppress a smirk curving onto her lips. To be honest, the playful banter which some couples would take to heart was common between the newly weds. Danny and Lindsay, though they had a rocky start to their relationship, soon realized they were perfect for each other. Even if it were a baby that made them see that. "You hardly got along with me when we first met."

"Ah, but that's cause you were the new girl." Lindsay playfully rolled her eyes and took a sip of her orange juice. "It's a tradition to poke fun at the newbie."

Just as he finished speaking, a pint of Guinness was placed down on the edge of the table.

Kelsey stood a little awkwardly, a small handbag draping off her shoulder. "Hi –eh- sorry to interrupt." She lifted her gaze to meet Don's and smiled that dazzling grin. "I have to clock off now and I owe you that drink…" She pushed the glass further in his direction. "I didn't think leaving my brother to make sure you got it was a wise idea."

Don –who had been in a trance- caught himself quickly. "Thanks Kelsey."

"Okay. Well, bye guys. Have a nice night." Kelsey hoisted her bag further up her shoulder, turned and walked towards the exit of the bar. All of the members of the group seemed to stare after her, noting how she glanced over her shoulder before pushing opened the large double doors to exit the club.

Don, being too caught up in his thoughts had failed to realize the smug expressions from his colleagues.

"So, Ross isn't the only reason why we're here then," Danny taunted. "Care to tell us who the redhead is and why she owed you a drink?"


	2. Finding a Cure

Just One Glance

Chapter Two – Finding a Cure

By Annie-Louise

The diner seemed unusually busy much to the dismay of Kelsey O'Neill.

Yawn after yawn seemed to escape her lips in a continuous string of exhausted moments, often causing customers to cast a strange look in her direction. There were two reasons why Kelsey O'Neill was so exhausted, one of which could easily be prevented if only her brother, Brandon, put in the effort to find a new bartender for his nightclub. The other reason was currently sat at the front counter to the diner, devouring a large plate of chunky toast coated in a thick layer of butter.

"So, are you gonna talk to me about what happened last night?" The fourteen year old glanced up slightly, but then continued to gobble up the large breakfast. Kelsey warily eyed the forming bruise around the young boy's eye and the split on his lip. "Connor, you can't exactly hide what happened last night. Why did you get in a fight?"

"I didn't start it!"

Kelsey sighed. She hadn't even begun to ask questions of what happened when she picked him up the night before, she had been to concerned in tending to his injuries. Thankfully, whatever happened, the injuries seemed to be only minor and the police had luckily not been involved in the incident. "Okay, so what? Someone attacked you…?"

"It doesn't matter Kel!"

"Yes, Connor. It does matter. You are my responsibility. I don't even want to begin to think of what could have happened to you if Josh wasn't with you. You told me last night you were staying at his for a night in on the Xbox. Why the hell did you even go out?"

Connor looked up briefly, but then cast his gaze back down to the half-eaten plate of toast. Kelsey couldn't even begin to think about how or why a fight had occurred. But Connor seemed to be taking his right to remain silent literally. Kelsey couldn't leave it. She couldn't ignore the gruesome injuries she had been up half the night tending to.

Kelsey asked, "Did you know who did it? Is it someone from school that you ran into?"

"Kel, it doesn't matter, okay? I am fine! You can see that I'm fine!"

"I don't call having a black eye and a split lip fine. Your knuckles are all messed up; you have bruises all over you." Kelsey grimaced as she remembered his injuries that she had seen the night before. He had been severely beaten on his upper torso and his arms where covered in an array of scratches and bruises. It looked as if he had taken a hell of a beating, to say the least. Kelsey had been on the verge of tears as she picked him up from his friend apartment in The Village. "That is not called 'being fine' Connor. You could have seriously been hurt. Fighting is…it's not acceptable!"

"Oh, but when Brandon gets into fights-"

"Brandon is older than you." Kelsey let out an over-dramatic sign to show him that she was clearly frustrated with his back answering. "Well, this isn't my problem anymore. If this is about you trying to live up to your brother's reputation then you can talk to him about it. As soon as you get back from school-"

"Oh, come on Kelsey! I'll be grounded for weeks!"

"I don't care." Kelsey said simply. "You're talking to him whether you like it or not. This isn't something we can just ignore, Connor. So if I was you, I'd make sure to get some answers prepared."

Giving one final warning glare, she left her younger brother to contemplate about what had exactly happened the previous night.

Sometimes, Kelsey wondered if the unconventional upbringing of Connor contributed to his violent, mischievous behavior. She'd tried her hardest to give Connor a normal life. However, the problem was that their living situation had been anything but normal.

He was only fourteen; he should not have been getting into fights at his age.

Looking to the clock that was mounted on the back wall, the large numbers told her it was ten past eight. In fifty long minutes, the morning rush would certainly be over and most people would be in their offices instead of taking up room in the diner. Its not that she didn't like the many customers who visited the family diner, but in her current state of exhaustion and frustration she was mentally begging for the day to go as quickly and as smoothly as possible.

"Hello, miss?"

Kelsey slowly turned to face the owner of the voice, the black coffee sloshing against the glass sides of the large pot with her movement. The familiar face smiled broadly back at her while she let out a small laugh. Sauntering over, she couldn't help but grin. "Don, right?" He nodded. "This isn't a coincidence, is it?"

"Well a guy I was with told me that your family owned this place and I thought I would come see if the service was just as good here as it was at the club." Don replied smoothly, furring his brow as the teenage boy a few seats down snorted with laughter.

"Connor! School! Now!" Kelsey ordered sternly. The teenage boy seemed to be jolted from his amusement and jumped from his stool, grabbing the last slice of toast before hoisting his bag up onto his shoulder and running from the café. "It seems both of my brothers have the aim to annoy you. So, what can I get you?"

"I'll have a large mug of coffee, please." Nodding, she turned to grab a mug from the back shelf. Secretly, she couldn't be happier the customer from the club last night had turned up at the diner. He had been very charming to say the least. And, Kelsey hoped he was the person who would be able to cheer her up before the frustration became to much to handle.

Turning back to him, Kelsey grinned happily and poured out the requested brew. "Thanks, love. How much do I owe you?"

"Just two dollars, please"

Don shuffled on his chair, pulling out his black leather wallet from his suit pocket. He handed over two dollar bills. The redhead gratefully took the bills, placing them into a creamy colored cash register, which had been bolted to the mahogany counter top. "So, that was your younger brother?" Kelsey turned back to him and replied to his question with a small, solemn nod. "Is the shiner he had the reason you had to leave the club so early?"

"It's that obvious, huh?"

"Well, I'm a detective." Don joked, happy to hear the slight giggle from Kelsey. "So, would it be rude of me to ask what happened…?"

"I'd tell you if I knew. He's being a bit tight lipped about it. As soon as my other brother gets his lazy ass out of bed there will be hell to pay anyway." She eyed him warily before quickly adding, "He doesn't get into fights normally. I think it was a one off. And he told me he wasn't the one who started it. He's really not a bad kid-"

Don put his hand up to seize her rapid talking and replied in an assuring tone, "Never thought he was."

Don could easily tell his position within the police force seemed to unnerve the girl. He wasn't sure why, but was not about to question it. Not yet, anyway. That was not his aim for the visit. His aim, in fact, was something much more pleasant. His fascination had become an addiction. He found himself struggling to sleep the previous night thanks to thoughts of the feisty redhead. Don knew there were two ways to stop the symptoms of any addiction. One was to give up whatever was the cause, or there was getting that needed fix.

And Don knew which cure he wanted.

He looked up, his eyes fixing on Kelsey who had turned her back to him as she re-filled one of the coffee pots. Opening his mouth to speak, Don was cut off when a hand firmly clasped around his shoulder. Don quickly looked back to see the owner of the hand but as he did he heard the familiar Irish drawl. "It's a bit stalker-ish, don't cha think? Following my sister to her diner? Do you-"

"Brandon, get your hand off him!" Kelsey ordered in a frustrated sigh.

Brandon O'Neill, the eldest of the O'Neill clan, took his hand away and stepped back from Don with a childish smirk on his lips. He held his arms out from his sides and asked, "What? I was just giving a friendly 'hello' to our new number one customer." Kelsey raised a stern eyebrow and Brandon soon backed away, seating himself at a table near the front of the shop to wait for Joanna, the second waitress who worked in the diner.

Casting her gaze back to Don, Kelsey quickly apologized for her brother's behavior. "I'm sorry. He's...I don't think he was ever taught normal social conduct."

Don shook his head with a chuckle. "No, he's just protective of you."

"You have a sister, don't you?"

"How did you know?"

"You understand that my brother is just being protective. Most guys don't. Most guys just think that Brandon is being a bastard." Kelsey giggled sweetly and added, "You understand because you're protective of your sister, right? Does she hate it too?"

Don hesitated, thinking about how he could voice his relationship with his sister, Samantha.

"-eh- I just don't like her getting in with the wrong crowd."

"But she hates it right?" Kelsey giggled and continued, "She hates you being protective. Come on, it's like a worldwide tradition. She'll probably say something along the lines of that you're butting in her life or that you're acting like a dad instead of a brother. Am I right?"

Don laughed. "Okay. Yeah, she gets annoyed at me."

Grinning with triumph, Kelsey leaned across the counter until her lips where merely a few inches from his ear. Quietly she whispered, "Just a word of advice…don't stop being protective of her. If she's anything like me, deep down she'll be grateful for it. Trust me. But never tell my brother that." She pulled away and winked mischievously, her eyes then quickly glancing to where her brother was sat. He looked annoyed, to put it simply. "Oh, how I love annoying him."

"Does annoying him have to make him hate me more?" Don asked playfully.

"Why? Do you want to impress him for some reason? Is there an ulterior motive to you turning up here this morning?" She asked the questions in a playful manner, a teasing smirk dancing on her lips.

Don blushed. He knew he had. He could tell by the sweet giggle that escaped the redhead's lips. Don mentally cursed himself. Never before had he so openly blushed. Shaking his head, he quickly put on a cheeky grin and replied in a confident, husky tone. "Maybe there is."

"Hmm, and what may this motive be?"

"Well, I did come here to see if I could take the gorgeous redhead who I met at the club last night out for a meal…"

Kelsey had partly been expecting the invitation but the involuntary crimson blush crept onto her pale cheeks showed just how flattered she was. Taking her hand from the counter, which had been steadying her throughout her chat with the detective, she smiled broadly. Kelsey could see her elder brother staring warily at her, but she wasn't sure whether he was in hearing distance. Personally, she hopped he wasn't.

Because if he was able to hear, Brandon would swoop in, cause trouble, which would most likely result in scaring Don away for good.

And Kelsey didn't want that. There was something about the detective that was so appealing. Maybe it was his charming demeanor. Maybe it was the cheeky grin. Or maybe it was the crystal blue eyes that seemed to capture her attention since the moment they first spoke.

With Brandon still watching warily from his table at the front of the diner, Kelsey knew there is only so much that someone can tolerate, even if they understand the protective nature of older brothers.

Smiling, she replied in a seductive purr, "I like that motive."

Don smirked.

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**Review please? xo**


	3. Getting a Fix

Just One Glance

Chapter Three – Getting a Fix

By Annie-Louise

"Where are you going?"

Kelsey stiffened at the question. Turning away from the full length mirror to face her older brother, Kelsey smiled. It soon faded as she noted her brothers narrowed eyes and concerned features. Folding his tattooed arms across his chest, the eldest O'Neill showed his authority as head of the house. It showed his right to know where Kelsey was going. "I'm going out with a few friends." The lie flowed smoothly off her tongue.

"Oh, so which friends?"

"You know –eh- Chelsea, Claudia….Harriet." Kelsey turned back to the full length mirror to examine her appearance and avoid Brandon's stern gaze.

Brandon kept his position leaning against the doorframe, his features dampened by the concerned frown and sceptical eyes. Kelsey was almost sure he knew she was lying. He was dragging the situation out for far to long for him not to be sceptical of her claim.

"Okay then. Look, just be careful and have a good night out. Don't worry about the diner, I'll open up in the morning." Brandon smiled as he pushed himself off the doorframe. "That is as long as you tell me who this guy is?" Kelsey stiffened. Of course. Brandon wouldn't stand out if he sneaked his way into a private investigators company. Checking her reflection one last time, she turned away from the mirror. She grabbed her handbag off her bed and put on the best smile she could.

"Guy?" The redhead laughed. Though much to her dismay, it sounded nervous. "What guy? There's no guy."

"Kel, you're a terrible liar."

Pursing her rose red lips, Kelsey stepped passed her brother into the hallway and followed the laminate wood flooring till she was standing in the centre of the family living room. "There is no guy. I'm going out with some friends because…well, I haven't been out with them for over a year. We're having a catch up." She turned, knowing Brandon had been following her. "I'm just going to few clubs and then I will be back before midnight. Not like you would have got back from _Crimson_ by then."

Brandon lifted his chin, narrowing his eyes as he scanned her features for any trace of deception. "…Who's watching Connor?"

"Joanna. She'll be round in half an hour."

Slowly, Brandon unfolded his arms. "…Okay then. Just be careful, okay?" Kelsey nodded with a reassuring smile. Brandon turned on his heal to head back to his own bedroom. "This city is full of nutters. You never know who is going to be stalking around the streets." Kelsey could barely hear the mutterings of her brother, but what she did hear made her smile. He was the best big brother anyone could ask for. Annoying, sometimes argumentative, but he always would be the protector of the family.

- - -

Three sharp knocks on the apartment door warned Kelsey of her date's arrival. Glancing at Connor who was busying himself with a new game on the Xbox he had gotten for his fourteenth birthday and Joanna who was reading a gossip magazine on the tattered old family sofa, Kelsey went to answer the door. "Connor, be good for Joanna. I'll be back before midnight but I expect you to already be in bed. My cell number is by the phone if you need to get me and-"

"Answer the door, Kel" Joanna laughed. "I'm sure me and C will manage without you."

Cautiously peering through the peep hole, Kelsey opened the heavily bolted door. She grinned. There was no use in trying to suppress it. Dressed in dark denim jeans and a black dress shirt, Don Flack stood in the hallway with a single, fully bloomed, baby pink lily. Briefly biting her lower lip, she greeted him with a friendly smile. "Hi Don."

"Hey" His grin was infectious. Extending his hand, he offered the single flower over, his fingers brushing against hers as she gratefully took the beautiful gift, muttering a quiet thank you in return. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah –eh- sure. Just give me one minute..." Don nodded, the gorgeous grin still adorning his features. Kelsey moved a few paces back into the apartment, eyeing Connor and Joanna carefully. They were both looking back at her with strange goofy grins. "You're sure you will be okay?"

"We'll be fine. Just go." Joanna encouraged. "Go on, have a _fun_ night."

Kelsey rolled her eyes and moved back to the door, grabbing her handbag off the small table as she went. "Okay, I'm ready." Slinging her handbag over her shoulder, she kept hold of the lily in her hand, rolling the stem between her thumb and forefinger nervously. It had been a while since she had been on a _formal_ date. The closest thing she had had to a date recently had been men buying her drinks at her brothers club.

"You look beautiful, by the way."

Don's crystal blue eyes sparkled with amusement as Kelsey blushed under his gaze. "Thanks. You scrub up well too. Though I think you look good in the suits too." Giggling nervously, she fell into step besides him as they walked down the hall to the single set of stairs which led to the street below.

It wasn't a usual apartment building the O'Neill's lived in, but a single family apartment that was located above the diner. It was only a two storey building so there were no worries about disturbing neighbours on upper or lower floors. Also, it was convenient when it came to getting up at six o'clock in a morning to open up 'O'Neill's', the diner that Brandon first set up when he was only twenty years old.

Walking out into the cold New York air Kelsey asked, "So, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise" Again, the cheeky grin that spread across his features evidently caused Kelsey to grin. There was no use trying to suppress it, because she knew she would fail miserably.

"A surprise…? You're not going to give me any clue?"

Don shook his head. "You'll find out soon enough." He motioned to the yellow taxi which was parked up alongside the pavement before opening the closest rear door. "After you…" Kelsey smiled and climbed into the back seat.

As Don climbed in the opposite side, Kelsey glanced at the driver. He was an old chap, quite large in stature. His hair was thinning and turning a pale shade of grey in certain points. He flashed a brief smile through the rear view mirror before turning the key in the ignition. Obviously, Don had already instructed him where to go as he did question the location of were they where heading. Kelsey glanced at Don, narrowing her eyes.

"Not just a little hint…?"

"Surprises are called surprises for a reason, Kelsey." He genuinely chuckled. Kelsey giggled, bowing her head to avoid the mesmerizing crystal blue eyes, which drew her in like a moth to a flame. She looked down at the lily in her lap and rolled them stem between her fingers, a nervous habit that seemed to be becoming less subtle as time passed. "Did your brother mind you taking a night off from working at _Crimson_?"

"Oh, I don't work there every night. He's just down a few staff because –well- he fired two of them for using his office to do…inappropriate things." Kelsey giggled. "Sorry, I just find it funny-"

"'Cause it annoyed the hell out of your brother?" Don asked, his tone showing how amused he was by the little story. Kelsey nodded, which instinctively caused Don to chuckle. "Why does that not surprise me…"

"Maybe its cause that sister of your does exactly the same thing to you? I think that's just tradition. Sister and brother relationship, you know." Kelsey giggled. "Have you just got the one sister?"

"Yeah. Samantha. She's the youngest of all of us. Then there's Andy who's a year younger than me and then I have an older brother, Shane." Don laughed at the shocked look on Kelsey's face. "What?"

"I feel sorry for your sister. Three older brothers? Growing up must have been hell!"

"We weren't that bad! Andy got the worst of it. Sam was better than him at football so he was mainly the centre of all jokes."

"You make it sound as if girls are rubbish at sports, Don." Kelsey raised a teasing eyebrow, a smirk dancing across her lips. "I can assure you that girls can be just as good at sports as any boy."

"Really? So you played sports?"

Kelsey's smile fell. "A bit. But, I never really got a chance to join a team or anything. But I was good! I used to play against Brandon in our back yard as a kid." A small smile began to grow on her lips. "My dad used to play with us. He taught me how to play most sports."

"Why didn't you join a team? Didn't you join an after school club or something?"

Kelsey sighed, "I had no time. But –eh- you? Did you not play on some sort of team?"

"…I played a lot of ice hockey as a kid. That and baseball." Kelsey knew Don was thinking back to the times he enjoyed as a kid by the smile and distant look in his crystal eyes. It made Kelsey smile watching him remember. "Shane got me into it all. My dad was always too busy. He was a detective too."

"Oh, so is it like a tradition in your family? To be in the NYPD, I mean."

"My grandfather and my Pa where both members of the force. But they never forced me to follow that path."

Kelsey smiled and asked, "And your siblings? Did they follow that path as well?"

"No. Shane's with the FDNY. Andy's a teacher down at the community college, ironically teaching sports. And Sam…I'm not to sure what she's doing at the moment. I haven't seen her in a while." As he saw the curious look on Kelsey's features, he found it almost impossible not to tell her why, but kept the information to himself because of the fear of being judged. He couldn't understand it, but he found comfort in her emerald eyes.

"Well, I bet being a detective takes up a lot of your time. Sometimes I won't see Brandon for a while. As stupid as that sounds seeing as we live together but sometimes he'll already be at the club by the time I'm closing up the diner."

The taxi came to a stop causing Kelsey to swirl her body to look out of the murky window. Though slightly distorted, Kelsey could still make out the sign of the Four Seasons hotel. "The Four Seasons? Are you kidding me?" Don grinned as he saw her reaction. A mixture of shock and excitement.

"You've never been, have you?"

Kelsey shook her head and turned to him with a grin. So far, so good.

- - -

Kelsey felt as if she hadn't stopped smiling since Don had first picked her up from the apartment. The food was amazing. The wine was delicious, though expensive as Kelsey had pointed out several times before Don assured her he didn't mind the cost. And conversation had not broken since they sat down at the table. Stories were shared and Kelsey seemed to be more and more interested in the NYPD as more stories where told.

"…So, did you inherit the diner and the club from your folks?" Don asked, having realised he had asked little about Kelsey. But as the words left his mouth, he could see she wasn't completely comfortable with it.

"Actually…Brandon set the whole thing up. He opened the diner when he was just twenty."

Don didn't know why, but he pushed for more information. It could have been the detective instinct that had become accustomed to him, or it could just be his fascination in the girl in front of him. All he knew was that he wanted to know more. "Twenty? That's quite young for starting up a business. Where did he get his money from?"

"…Inheritance money."

Kelsey ran her fork over the tiramisu that was left on her plate, keeping her gaze down to avoid looking into the questioning stare of Don. Mentally begging for the questioning to stop, she found herself flinching as he asked, "Oh, from a grandparent?"

"…No –eh- my father died in a car accident."

Instinctively, don moved his hand across the table to rest atop of hers. "Sorry"

"It's okay." Kelsey smiled reassuringly. "It happened so long ago that it doesn't really bother me anymore." She swallowed the clog that had formed in her throat and continued, "I feel more sorry for Connor. He was only two. He doesn't really remember our dad. He has his questions…I usually just leave all that stuff to Brandon. Man to man, you know" She smiled faintly.

Don gave her delicate hand the smallest of squeezes, "Sounds as if your both lucky to have a big brother like him."

Kelsey grinned, "You say that now, but as soon as he finds out you've been wooing me, you'll soon change your mind"

Deciding it was best to leave the topic of her family alone until a later date, Don quickly rerouted the conversation on to pleasanter things. He found himself loving just to hear her laugh, just to see her smile. He was getting his fix of his addiction. And he knew he didn't want to let go.

Don knew it was only the first date, but he knew he didn't want it to be the last.

Once the bill had been paid, Don walked Kelsey back out of the restaurant onto the Chilly New York street. Without a second thought, he entwined his own fingers with her. The lily he had first given to her at her apartment door was poking out of her handbag that swung freely at her hip, and the smile he had begun to love was still delicately dancing across her rose red lips.

After a twenty minute walk, they finally reached the outer apartment door of the O'Neill's. The diner next door was closed up, only the main sign was still lit up to advertise the business. "Well, here's my stop." Kelsey stopped and turned to Don, a faint smile on her lips. "Thanks for tonight. It was nice to actually go out for a change."

"It was nice to take you out" Don countered, his grin growing as the blush crept back onto her pale cheeks. Swooping down, he captured her lips in a soft but passionate kiss, happy to feel one of her delicate hands snake around his neck. In response, he wound his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Several moments passed before Kelsey pulled away.

Grinning she whispered, "I best go in."

Don nodded, reached up and stroked the hair from her face while placing one last chaste kiss upon her lips. Yes, both of them knew this would not be the last date.

* * *

**Thank you for the reviews. How do you think its going? And, the Connor fight thing is not over. This was just not the chapter to put it in. **

**Please keep reviewing. :)**

**x**


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